Beech leaf disease effects on carbon and nitrogen content of beech leaves and litter, and litter decomposition rate

Abstract: First found in 2012 in Ohio, beech leaf disease (BLD), caused by nematodes in leaves, has spread eastward over the last decade, compromising beech forests throughout Northeastern USA and Canada. No treatment nor cure is yet known and beeches often die within 5 year of infection. During the Semester in Environmental Science at MBL, fall 2023, we sampled leaves, leaf litter, and soil from four beech forests in Falmouth MA, targeting leaves and litter with clear differential infection intensity. We analyzed leaf and litter chemistry, and tested whether ground leaf litter added to local beech forest soil decomposed at different rates depending on the intensity of infection.